Puma signs up as KSA soccer sponsor

Puma has beaten off strong competition to sponsor the Saudi Arabian football side ahead of its appearance at next year’s World Cup finals in Germany.

Puma has beaten off strong competition to sponsor the Saudi Arabian football side ahead of its appearance at next year’s World Cup finals in Germany. The deal, which comes into effect from 1 January next year, stretches beyond the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and will see Puma provide clothing and equipment for the senior, under 21, under 20 and under 17 teams. In the days following Saudi Arabia’s qualification for the World Cup finals, at least eight companies submitted sealed bids to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to sponsor the team, with the highest bid winning through. Puma refused to disclose exactly how much it had paid for the deal. “With the popularity of football in the region and the Saudi national team’s reputation as one of the power houses of Asian football, Puma has found an ideal partner in the Saudi Arabian Football Federation with which to further our affiliation with football,” said Oliver Wirth, managing director at Puma Middle East. “Having qualified for the last four world championships is an accomplishment that speaks for itself. Puma aims to reinforce its world renowned football heritage in the Middle East region through this partnership.” It is Puma’s first sponsorship deal in the region and comes after it established its Middle East office in July this year. “There will definitely be more as we seek key teams and events in the region to strategically partner alongside our expansion across the region,” Wirth added. Campaign understands that Puma is also in talks with the Bahrain Football Association about sponsoring its national side. The sports company is also kitting out teams, including Iran, Italy, Paraguay, Poland, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Poland at next year’s World Cup finals, which are due to kick off in June.